A vehicle onboard computer system has the capability of interacting with an external electronic device, such as a smartphone, to provide extended functionality inside the vehicle. More specifically, an electronic device may provide an onboard computer system with the ability to execute and operate downloadable software applications (i.e., “apps”) resident on the electronic device. Current in-vehicle controls do not provide a way to interact with apps installed on an electronic device. However, an onboard computer system includes a natural language engine that can add keywords, such as app names, and turn generic haptic controls into voice commands. In addition, increasing numbers of electronic devices support app control through voice recognition (VR).
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method for communication between a vehicle onboard computer system and an external electronic device. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.